Electrical switch



July 30, 1935. J. w. OWENS 2,009,813

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Fil'ed Oct. '7, 1933 Inventow:

ends 24 and 25 being spaced apart from. a com-- Patented July 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,009,813 ELECTRICAL swrrcn Joseph W. Owens, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation 7 of New York Application October '1, 1933, Serial No. 692,613

7 Claims. (01. 200-171) My invention relates to electrical switches of the type wherein a movable contact member is operable into engagement with predetermined stationary contact members, and has for an ob- 5 ject the provision of a simple, inexpensive and reliable switch of this character.

In carrying out my invention in one form thereof, I provide one or more movable contacts each of which is operable into engagement with one or the other of a pair of stationary contacts, a single wiping spring being arranged to support each movable contact and to insure a good wiping action between each movable contact and its associated stationary contacts.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 of which shows an elevation of a switch embodying my invention, while Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a movable contact member and its associated mounting means.

pair of stationary contact members only one, ll,

of which is-shown. {The movable contact member I1 is carried by a support I8 formed of insulating material and mounted on and secured to a rotatable switch shaft l9, said contact member 'l'l being operable from one circuit controlling position to asecond circuit controlling position by turning the shaft It as by ahandle (not shown) connected to the shaft.

In order to resiliently mount the movable contact and to secure a strong wiping action between the movable contact I! and its associated stationary contacts I! and It, a compression spring 2!! is mounted between a ;spring seat 2| molded integrally with the support l8 and a spring seat'ill formed integrally with the movable contact member I! as by swaging. As shown, the movable contact member I1 is formed like a block letter C. That is to say, one end 24 of the contact l extends inwardly towards the oppositeend 25, the two U-shaped mon side 26.

By removing the compre in a clockwisedirection until the end 24 passes I ssion. spring 20 the movable contact member" I! can be removed 'from the support l8 by rotating the contact member ll through an opening or aperture 28 the support l8.

provided in terminal 30 and additional corresponding terminals being connected to the supply source (not 5 shown) and by the flexible shunt 30a to the movable contact member I'I, additional shunts being similarly connected to the remaining movable contacts, whilst the motor or load circuit is connected to terminals corresponding to the terminal 1 3| shown in the drawing. -Theterminal 3| is' connected to the stationary contact member lt as by conductor 34 and to the stationary contact member l2 by conductor 35. v If a three phase circuit is controlled, the two additional pairs of stationary contacts are cross connected to provide reversal of the phase relation on the motor circuit.

It will, of course, be understood that as many circuits as may be desired can be controlled simultaneously by mounting additional contact members on the shaft ID, as by additional apertures 38 provided in the support l8, and by providing corresponding stationary contacts.

In order to change the circuit connections the shaft I9 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the

movable contact I! disengaging itself from the stationary contact 13 to interrupt the circuit.

.Upon continued movement of the shaft l9 themovable contact member l1 engages the stationary contact H, the compression spring 20 per-v 'mitting a certainamount oilost motion between the support l8 and the movable contact l'l so as to provide a good wiping action and a substantial contact pressure.

when the movable contact I1 is in engagement with the stationary contact I3, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the current-carrying portion lla-is in engagement with the stationary contact I3. 'However when the circuit is completed through the contact l2 the current-carrying portion 11b is utilized. Consequently, arcing at the contacts occurs at different points on the movable contact member thereby a longer life for the movable contact member.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention", it will be understood, of course,

that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,--

1. In a switch, a movable contact member said support and the opposite end of said conductor for maintaining said conductor in engagement with said support.

2. In a switch, a movable contact member formed by a flat conductor having U-shaped end portions and connected together atone side thereof, an apertured support formed of insulating material, one of said U-shaped end portions being adapted to extend through and partially encircle said apertured support, and a compression spring one end of which bears against said support and the opposite end of which bears against said opposite end portion of said conductor for resiliently supporting said contact from said support.

3. In a switch provided with a stationary contact member, a substantially C-shaped movable contact member including a center portion interconnecting two end portions, one end portion being operable into engagement with said stationary contact, a support for said contact member engaging said other end portion, and means including a spring located between said end portions and parallel to said center portion for biasing said contact member against said support.

4. In a switch provided with stationary con tact members, a movable contact member formed by a Cshaped conductor having flattened end portions, one end portion of said conductor being operable into engagement with said stationary contacts, and means including a com-- pression spring for supporting said contact from its other end portion, said spring being located between said end portions and operatively engaging at least one end portion.

5. In a switch provided with stationary contact members, a movable contact member formed by a C-shaped conductor, the ends of said conductor extending inwardly from the end portions thereof one end portion of said conductor being operable into engagement with said stationary contacts, a support for said movable contact member provided with an opening for the reception of said other end portion of said movable contact, and a compression spring mounted between said support and said opposite end of said movable contact for resiliently connecting said contact to said support.

6. In a switch provided with stationary contact members,'a movable contact member formed by a conductor bent into the form of a block-C, the ends of said conductor extending inwardly from the end portions thereof a predetermined distance, the respective sides of one end portion being selectively operable into engagement with said stationary contacts, an apertured support formed of insulating material for the reception of said other end portion of said movable contact, and a compression spring located between said support and one end of said movable contact for maintaining said movable contact in position on said support and for providing a wiping action between said movable contact and a selected one of said stationary contacts.

'7. In a switch provided with stationary contact members, a movable contact member, a rotatable support for said movable contact member, said support being provided with a substantially rectangular opening, said movable contact member being formed by a fiat conductor one end of which extends through said opening and partially encircles said support, the other end of which is arcuately formed so that opposite sides of said conductor engage one or the other of said stationary contact members, and a compression spring mounted between said support and one end of said movable contact member for resiliently securing said contact member to said support and for providing a wiping action between said movable contact member and a selected one of said stationary contact members.

JOSEPH W. OWENS. 

